Victoria Dam, Arch dam and hydroelectric power station in Teldeniya, Sri Lanka.
Victoria Dam is an arch dam and hydroelectric power station that crosses the Mahaweli River in the Central Province, built to supply electricity across Sri Lanka. The structure uses three turbines housed in a power station at its base, releasing water through eight controlled spillways that manage flow during heavy rainfall.
The dam was built between 1978 and 1985 as part of a national development programme designed to improve electricity generation and irrigation in rural areas. British engineers contributed to the planning, transforming a section of the river into a large reservoir that reshaped the surrounding landscape.
The dam project required the relocation of 30,000 local residents, leading to significant changes in the settlement patterns of the Kandy District.
Access to the site is limited to certain viewpoints, as the interior of the power station is not open to the public, but some areas nearby offer views of the dam wall and reservoir. The site is best visited during daylight hours when the surrounding green hills are visible.
The arch design shifts outward when the reservoir fills, a movement caused by pressure distribution across the concrete curve. This bending is part of how the dam absorbs the force of the water it holds back.
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